The Tale of a Burning Soul
by VaultDwellerofVault101
Summary: This is the story of Korimi Hagake, a Soul Academy student who is destined for great things. What will he achieve, and how will the Bleach universe be affected? A completely new character on a world most of you already know... enjoy the adventure! *NOTE: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH! I AM NOT TITE KUBO! THIS IS A FANFIC!*


**Bleach: Tale of the living Zanpakutou**

"C'mon Korimi, we're running late! It's our first day of classes, get your act together!" was how Kenma Aono, first year student at the Soul Academy called his best friend and also first year Korimi Hagake. "Awwww, the school will be there tomorrow, not like it's moving anywhere…" he answered, right before a fist was thrown hard at his black hair-filled head.

"OOOOOOW! That hurt, you!" he was barely able to whimper before he was dragged out of the shabby bedroom by the ear. "Don't be a scaredy cat, you made me promise to drag you to the academy if I had to. Look, I even prepared your stuff. Don't make me wait!" she yelled as she stormed out of the shack.

Being two local kids, two friends living in a house an old man left them before he died, they didn't have much to decorate the house with, and dust seemed to easily find a way in, even though it was obvious the home was well kept. Korimi lazily went to the bathroom, then back to his room and prepared, while Kenma waited outside, swinging around a wooden sword. Once Korimi was dressed, he looked outside the window, and could see Kenma's blond hair moving outside the shack, and tried sneaking out through the back door, just to find it was not only closed shut but booby-trapped, as tin cans fell loudly on his head. "That's what you get for trying to be a smartass!" Korimi could hear Kenma yell, as he was forced to go through the front entrance. After locking the shack up, never to return, they both made their way through Rukongai all the way from the South's 74th district to Seireitei, with the Soul Academy on their sights.

As Korimi walked scratching his head, the effects of Kenma's fist obviously still present, she warily watched the rest of the students, as some of them started whispering when they passed through the corridors. She once stopped to yell "Hey, what the hell you laughing at?!" at a boy who laughed the moment they passed by him, making the boy run off scared. "Hey hey, you start yelling like that and I go change the boy's pants" Korimi retorted through a chuckle, only to get a glare from Kenma. As they entered their classroom, they heard a question from a familiar voice.

"Hey, why don't you two arrive holding hands?" Renji Abarai asks, earning an exasperated look from Korimi and a stare from Kenma. "I'm surprised you're not doing the same with Rukia" she answers, at which Renji's face gets as red as his hair. Korimi simply chuckles a bit, but was cut short of rubbing it in by the teacher, who started the class. Just to prove a point, Kenma sat down right besides Korimi, only to move once all the other seats but one were full, and Izuru Kira took her former seat. "Great, you left the seat to a boring guy" Korimi recriminates, only to get a quick glare from Izuru, which he didn't notice, and a scolding from Gengoro Onabara, the teacher in charge of Class 1.

The students from Class 1 were meant to be the most promising candidates, even though most of them were from the slum parts of Rukongai this year. Renji, Rukia, Korimi and Kenma were all from the slums of the South district, and usually played alongside each other; they knew each other well. It was also well known that Korimi usually followed Kenma anywhere, and Renji was often catched by surprise only when Rukia's around him, so there was no shortage on rumors about the two couples, much to their dismay.

After a month of classes, most of which Kenma spent making Korimi study, and the latter one trying his best to take it easy on the studies, the class was sent to a mission in order to practice the Konso on the field. As always, Korimi slithered his way to Kenma's side, but to his dismay, right there and then the leader asked "Why is it important to perform the Konso on the Plus souls, Hagake-chan?". The entire class went silent to listen for his answer. Korimi clears his throat, and answers "Well sir, I guess 'cause the teachers need fresh students to torture every year…" right before a kick in the guts by Kenma, and a huge laugh from the entire class. However, Shuhei Hisagi, the leader of the expedition, did not even crack a smile, and simply said "This ritual is the only thing keeping those souls from becoming Hollows. Those souls need the Konso much more than the teachers do. Next time, study good enough to know it, Mr. Hagake" which earned Korimi another round of laughter from the class. "Enough!" Shuhei yells, as they proceed with the mission.

Having ended with it and being forced to go through all the humiliation, Korimi tried to slither away from the group, only to find Kenma picking a flower up. He barely had time to put a smirk on before her glare shot him down completely. "So, you also got bored huh?" he asked her, and she simply stood up and sighted. He knelt to the floor, picked up a group of rocks, and started throwing them away, as they awaited the group leaders to start calling the class members, until a thud followed one of his rock throws. "What did you hit now Korimi?" Kenma asked with an angry look, but it was followed by screams from the class group; a Huge Hollow was attacking it, and had already killed one of Hisagi's class members, Kanisawa. Just as the duo prepared to run to the area, Korimi found out what his rock hit; a Hollow as tall as a house, approaching Kenma angrily. "Look out Ken!" he yelled as he drew his zanpakutou. Kenma was barely able to turn and dodge the Hollow's punch, as Korimi attacked it, the Hollow blocking with his other hand. She drew her zanpakutou, as the Hollow easily pushed Korimi back, sending him crashing into a tree.

As the group fought the Huge Hollow, the duo engaged the tall, humanoid Hollow, evading its punches but not able to deal even one blow. Eventually, Korimi yelled "Kenma, flee! I can handle it, you go and get help!" but on that instant, the Hollow suddenly got fast enough to land a punch square on her face. "KENMA!" Korimi yelled, his reiatsu suddenly shooting up. The hollow turned to him, roaring, as Korimi's zanpakutou split into two swords. He stood tall, one sword on each hand, as the Hollow approached him, attracted by his reiatsu. As they fought on even terms, he could hear the screams coming from the area the class group was; he clenched his teeth, and furiously striked at the Hollow. The latter one countered by flaring his own reiatsu up, but as they both clash into each other in a stalemate, trying to push blades and fists into each other, the hollow is suddenly cut in half; Kenma had recovered, and cleanly disposed of it in one vertical swipe. "Thanks Kenma, you really saved my skin there" he tells her, before dropping to a knee out of exhaustion. "You shoulda been the one to run, you scaredy cat" she retorts, visibly shaking but with her voice firm.

As they approached the area their classmates had been fighting on, they arrive just in time to see Sosuke Aizen, captain of the 5th Division, wipe out the Huge Hollows alongside his lieutenant, Gin Ichimaru. The pair notice the newcomers, specially Korimi's double-wielding and remnants of his released reiatsu.

"Looks like we're finished here. Are you two okay?" Aizen asks, directed towards the newcomers.

"We're ok, just a dead freaking Hollow past those bushes" Korimi answers, before Kenma puts back her zanpakutou. "We're not heavily wounded Captain, but what happened here?" she asks, visibly worried and looking at the destruction in the area.

Aizen looks out of words, while Shuhei, Momo, Renji and Kira look to the floor. "The students Kanisawa and Aoga were killed by the Hollows. The rest should be fine" informs Shuhei.

Kenma covers her mouth with her hand; Korimi clenched his teeth, while dropping his arms, both his blades touching the ground. Gin quickly adds: "Perhaps we should get out of here, wouldn't wanna have more of those Hollows arriving, right Captain?" to which Aizen agrees, and the group moves back, the horror of what just happened glooming over their heads.

The next day, classes were cancelled in honor of the fallen students; however, the group that faced the Hollows still were called to the classroom.

"Why would they call us? It's a free day isn't it?" Korimi complains, as he and Kenma meet up with Renji, Kira, Momo and Shuhei on the way to the classroom.

"Maybe it's because of what happened yesterday you moron?" Kenma answers without even slowing her walk, while Shuhei keeps looking at the ground, while Momo ignores it like being on a trance, Renji tilts his head in agreement and Kira flinchs at Korimi's question.

"Just how quick do you forget about things?" Kira asks Korimi, to which he replies "More often than I'd like, but I sure didn't forget about yesterday!" and puts an annoyed face.

"Then why you'd ask such a thing?" Momo suddenly comes out of her cloud to ask. "Well that's simple: I thought everyone else would wanna forget it, not keep bringing it up the very day after…" Korimi answers back.

Suddenly, Shuhei stops walking. Everyone walk right past him, but turn back once they notice he stopped. "Shuhei…" Kira starts, before Shuhei interrupts him.

"I won't ever forget it. I got two friends killed. I won't forget it, not ever. But I swear on my Shinigami pride, I won't let it happen again." Shuhei says, still looking at the floor, while closing his fists. The group simply look sadly to him, except Korimi, who suddenly cracks a smile, and answers: "That's the spirit bro! We won't let anyone fall next time!".

"You dumbass! He wasn't at fault for anything! You're so insensible!" Kenma recriminates Korimi, but as they had started walking again, they reach the classroom, where captains Aizen, Kyoraku and Ukitake were waiting. "Hello class. Sorry for the inconvenience of summoning you here today, but it is needed."

"Hello Captain" the group weakly respond, to which Ukitake and Kyoraku exchange worried looks.

Ukitake moves a bit forward, and starts: "We'd like to formally apologize to you guys. We should had supervised the training area better, and couldn't prevent this tragedy from happening. Regardless, we also have to congratulate you guys here. Even in this horrible and unexpected event, you all managed yourselves perfectly, like a graduated Soul Reaper would had. Most of you showed great skill as well, as a group and as individual Soul Reapers. Don't feel let down for what happened: you guys did as best as you could, and you should be proud of the many students that were spared for your actions. I know two people didn't make it; we will hold a memorial service, to which captain Aizen will now escort you to. I repeat our most sincere apologies; I hope you all forgive us for this terrible accident."

As the group moved out of the classroom, escorted by Aizen, Kyoraku stopped Korimi. "Mind coming with me instead kiddo?" he asks, to which Korimi answers "Sure…" while being dragged down the corridor already. As Ukitake and Kyoraku lead the march, they talk with each other in whispers, not letting Korimi hear. "You think those two Zanpakutous are really his Shikai?" Kyoraku asks. "I don't know Shunsui, but if it is, he'd be only the third Shinigami that double-wields." Ukitake answers. The trio walk into an ample room, as the rest of the group arrives at the memorial, not noticing they were short of a certain blonde-haired student who silently followed after Korimi.


End file.
